North Korea to Restart Nuclear Arms Plant

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North Korea on Tuesday vowed to expand its nuclear weapons work and restart a reactor capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium, retaliating more provocatively than expected against UN condemnation of its recent rocket launch.

Pyongyang said it would never again take part in six-party talks, the diplomatic framework aimed at getting North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arms. The six parties are Russia, China, the US, Japan and the two Koreas.

“We have no choice but to strengthen our defensive nuclear deterrent in response to increased military threats from hostile forces,” North Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement carried on the KCNA state news agency.